Seven Republican candidates took part in the first New Hampshire Republican presidential debate Monday night on CNN. Read the live blog below. Follow all the issues and campaign news about the debate on CNNPolitics.com and @cnnpolitics on Twitter. Watch the debate on CNN TV, CNN.com and mobile devices.
Read the full story here.
Read the results of the Political Insiders Poll taken during the debate here.
10:01 p.m. ET - @PeterHambyCNN: aaaand Romney escapes unharmed. Win.

9:58 p.m. ET - Paul: I'd have ask more questions for them, said they haven't even told him how they feel about the Federal Reserve, a reference to his repeated calls to abolish the Reserve.

9:58 p.m. ET - Bachmann: Maybe have an American Idol-style contest.

9:57 p.m. ET – Q: Which person on this stage would you ask to join your administration?

9:57 p.m. ET - Romney: Everyone on this stage would be a better president than Obama.
9:56 p.m. ET – Pawlenty: Palin is qualified to be president and would have made a better vice president that Joe Biden, who has been wrong on everything.
9:56 p.m. ET - Q: Who made the better vice presidential choice in the 2008 campaign?9:55 p.m. ET – Cain: People don't know us yet, don't see this as a weak field.

9:54 p.m. ET - Q: Should pay attention to polls that show low enthusiasm for the GOP primary?

9:51 p.m. ET – Santorum: Dealing with a failure of the Obama administration- have no strategy to confront our enemies. Need bases to be nimble and attack when we're attacked. Obama has embraced our enemies.
9:49 p.m. ET - Q from voter: Shut down military bases that aren't vital to national security to pay off national debt?

9:48 p.m. ET - Cain: Need to understand the problem, which we did not in Libya and make sure it's in our national interests to be involved.

9:47 p.m. ET - Gingrich: U.S. intelligence is inadequate. Need to reassess strategy in the region, figure out how to get out as soon as possible. Need to find new and different strategies.

9:46 p.m. ET - Bachmann: Not in the interests of America to be involved in Libya. The president was wrong, he deferred leadership in Libya to France, "That's all we need to know."

9:43 p.m. ET - Paul: Wouldn't wait for the generals. "I tell the generals what to do [as president]." Would bring the troops home as soon as possible.
9:42 p.m. ET - Romney: Time to bring them home as fast as we can in a plan supported by our military, based on the conditions on the ground. Only the Afghans can win independence from the Taliban.

9:36 p.m. ET - Romney: Don't believe government should take land from private companies. Need to develop our own energy independence.

9:34 p.m. ET – Q: Should governments be allowed to seize private land for major projects to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil?
9:33 p.m. ET - Gingrich: Will never pass comprehensive bill. Need to control the border, take half of the Homeland Security Department and put them in border states to protect the U.S.

9:31 p.m. ET - Pawlenty: Let the states protect their borders if the federal government won't.

9:30 p.m. ET – Cain: Secure our borders and enforce laws that are already there. Promote path to citizenship by cleaning up the bureaucracy. For the illegals that are already in the U.S.- empower the states to do what federal government can't do.
9:29 p.m. ET - Paul: Need to protect our borders instead of the borders between Iraq and Afghanistan.

9:28 p.m. ET – Santorum: We should not be offering government benefits to those who entered the U.S. illegally.

9:11 p.m. ET – Gingrich: Would need to be loyal to the U.S. to serve in his administration. "There are some genuinely bad people."

9:10 p.m. ET - Cain: The question I was asked was would you be comfortable with a Muslim in your administration. Said there is a difference between peaceful and militant Muslims. Would interview the person to get a sense of how committed they are to the constitution, said it's not a litmus test. People who work for the government should be committed to the constitution.

9:09 p.m. ET - Q to Cain: Are American Muslims less committed to the constitution than Christians or Jews?

9:07 p.m. ET – Paul: Congress should never prohibit the expression of your faith in a public place.

9:06 p.m. ET - Santorum: I approach issues with faith and reason.

9:06 p.m. ET - Q: Separation of church and state?

9:04 p.m. ET - Bachmann: Already voted "no" on raising the debt ceiling, will vote against it unless there are major cuts in spending. "Clearly President Obama has failed in leadership," cites increase in the national debt.
9:03 p.m. ET - Romney: Cannot afford to raise the debt ceiling. "At some point you hit a wall," criticized the president for his leadership.

9:02 p.m. ET – Q: Will Congress raise the debt ceiling?

9:02 p.m. ET - Cain: "I don't have to raise the retirement age," said he will restructure the program.

8:58 p.m. ET – Gingrich: There are things that I would have done differently than Ryan.

8:57 p.m. ET - Q: Why did you back down on charge that Ryan budget plan is a step backward?
8:55 p.m. ET - Pawlenty: If you're in the program we should keep our word. Said it is not financially solvent. His plan, he said will include more options for people.

8:54 p.m. ET – Paul: "It can't be be made solvent." We need competition and the opportunity to opt-out of the system to take care of ourselves.

8:31 p.m. ET - Pawlenty, Gingrich and Cain: All said they hope states accept right to work to create more jobs.

8:30 p.m. ET - Q: Where do you fall on right to work?

8:27 p.m. ET - Bachmann: We need to bring the tax rate down in the U.S. Then criticized Democrats for big spending plans and said Republicans need to pass a big repeal bill, including the de-funding of the EPA.

8:26 p.m. ET – Pawlenty: The U.S. needs fair trade. Said taxes are too high and permitting is too slow for businesses.

8:26 p.m. ET - Paul: "We should invite capital back." Said the country needs to "deregulate" and "de-tax" to prevent jobs from going overseas.

8:25 p.m. ET - Q: How will you keep manufacturing jobs in America?

8:23 p.m. ET - Cain: He will be a president that will "do what's right, not what's politically right." His experiences in the business world, he said, are the same skills that will make him an effective president.

8:22 p.m. ET - Bachmann: Defended the Tea Party as a "wide swath of America coming together. I think that's why the left fears it so much." Said all Republicans need to come together.

8:21 p.m. ET - Santorum: Touted his past in Senate, said he brought people together. "I led and got bipartisan support to do it." When asked about the Tea Party, he said the "Tea Party is a great backstop for America."

8:20 p.m. ET – Q from voter: Will you have a balanced approach to governing?

8:18 p.m. ET - Gingrich: The country should not have a health care mandate. Also said it's important the 2012 election includes wins in the House and Senate.

8:16 p.m. ET - Pawlenty: The plan he instituted in Minnesota is different than the plan in Massachusetts, including the absence of an individual mandate. Would not directly attack Romney calling the national plan "Obamneycare," like he did over the weekend.

"President Obama is - is the person who I quoted in saying he looked to Massachusetts for designing his program. He's the one who said it's a blueprint and that he merged the two programs. And so using the term 'Obamneycare' was a reflection of the president's comments that he designed Obamacare on the Massachusetts health care plan," Pawlenty said.

8:15 p.m. ET – Romney: Will de-fund "Obamacare," and outlined the differences between the president's plan and the plan he instituted as governor of Massachusetts.

8:14 p.m. ET - Bachmann: "Obamacare" is a job killer that she will end as president.

8:13 p.m. ET – Q: What would you do to de-fund "Obamacare" and repeal it as soon as possible?
8:12 p.m. ET – Texas Rep. Ron Paul: Criticized job creation in the U.S., said it's because people don't understand growth.

8:12 p.m. ET - Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann: Announced she filed her papers to officially run for president of the United States.

8:01 p.m. ET - The candidates introduced themselves in a few sentences at the beginning of the debate. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said the Republican candidate needs to save the country from the "Obama depression." Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said he hopes he "gets it right this time," a reference to his 2008 White House bid.

6:34 p.m. ET - When asked on CNN's "The Situation Room" about the potential of Texas Gov. Rick Perry jumping into the 2012 race, former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said "Clearly there's a vacuum in the Republican Party." He then pointed to the "least impressive" records of Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty.
6:32 p.m. ET - @stevebruskCNN: Newt Gingrich talks to reporters as he arrives for CNN debate http://yfrog.com/kh2v9zj
6:22 p.m. ET - @PeterHambyCNN: Man of the hour just arrived. Wearing jeans, of course. Mitt said he's feeling "terrific." http://yfrog.com/kkkmawj

soundoff(991 Responses)

Which candidate is willing to completely disengage herself/himself from all special interest lobbying groups?
How do you plan to protect the environment without an EPA?

June 13, 2011 08:37 pm at 8:37 pm |

Amy N

I wonder how many people realize "right to work" also means you can lose your job for pretty much any reason. I live in a right-to-work state, and two years ago I was let go because my boss, who was based in California, didn't think anyone with a Southern accent had, as he put it, the IQ points needed to dress themselves. I had great reviews from former supervisors, colleagues and customers, but he hated Southerners, so I was gone. And there was nothing I could do except use those reviews and references to negotiate a bigger separation package.

Right to work is a good concept. It's how it's executed that's the problem ...

June 13, 2011 08:37 pm at 8:37 pm |

BENJI

I'm voting for Obama so I don't care who the Repubs run against him.

June 13, 2011 08:37 pm at 8:37 pm |

Darryl in TX

Are any of these people to be taken seriously. What a pack of jackals

June 13, 2011 08:37 pm at 8:37 pm |

Angela S.

I am sick of the hatred and disrespect of President Obama. None of these candidates have President Obama's intelligence. I like Ron Paul. But he is too old and risky. I will stick with the President we have currently.

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

james

We have seen what tax breaks to corperations like Wall Street . You know the people that distroyed our economy, and got moneies to loan out to stop the resession ,but kept it for there own Bonouses. the Obama Healthcare reform is why millions of our children have health insurance after they turned 21. we are the only industial nation without real healthcare fro all, and theres is so much better.

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

SonnyP

Every economist with a proven reputation of accuracy has made it clear Trickle-down does not work. Who besides Ron Paul (whose plan is a little to over the top for my taste) will match his courage to come up with a plan that really has a chance to succeed. Also, there are trillions in corp. coffers not being spent... give them confidense to spend that money and create jobs.

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

Gina

I wish they would ask them what they think of big business like the Koch brothers.

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

Frank Stein

No subsidies. Right on Ron.

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

Tim

I want to hear more from Cain. Disappointing he is being ignored.

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

david

when you need a good rep. to run you cant find coni. if you want to win get miss. rice.

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

arwpoole59

ElviS? What a stupid question?

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

Imabeliever

Is Paul saying that politicians (like him) are dumb?

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

Theresa Reed

GO..... HERMAN CAIN......GO !!!!!!

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

renee pace

I would like to know each canidates opinion on how they see this country, as a republic or a democracy?And something that bothers me about is welfare,Do any of these canidates feel the system is being abused?and how they feel about doing away with the ebt cards and going back to the commodity houses.All these federal buildings in each county and in each state that was suggested being sold.Why not use commodity houses.going back to the basics. State grown fruit and vegys,flour,sugar, corn meal, beans,etc.Welfare eats better than me and my family.Those that are on welfare have to work at the commodity houses.Also random drug testing on those recieving federal assistance?

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

David

To the GOP candidates, my question is how are we going to continue to pay for the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, an "Empire" of overseas military bases, needed repairs for our crumbling infrastructure (which is estimated to cost $2.2 trillion), social security, medicare & medicaid, etc. when the US government is already at $14 trillion in debt? What will you do as President to pay for all those other than borrowing money from other countries?

June 13, 2011 08:38 pm at 8:38 pm |

Andrew

I am a recent veterinary graduate and currently in an enormous amount of debt. What plans do you have for more higher education funding assistance?

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

Polly

14 Million unemployed? 20 Million unemployed? These two numbers have been carelessly thrown out in the debate. If anyone has been listening lately the repetitive number for over a year is 24 million. This number, of course, does not include 99'ers (remember, the forgotten Americans), those that have not applied (due to lack of education), etc. Please, going forward, make sure that you are stating the correct numbers regarding the unemployed. Remember, we are people not a bump in the road....therefore, the numbers must be accurate especially when presented in a presidential debate.

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

Dennis Mandero

Why immigration is not addressed in the way is supposed to be? Close the borders and bring people out of the shadows!

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

John

And If I hear one more person say, "We're Taking America Back!" without offering something more concrete that repealing Obamacare...we need solutions. Take a chance and quit towing the line. Impress me with an actual plan!

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

Frank Stein

Cain is a former member of the Federal Reserve. Guarding the hen house.

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

john e. campbell

NEWT GINGRICH said it took seven years for REAGANOMICS to a positive effect. Why can't they give PRESIDENT OBAMA plans to work?

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

DErek

Wow Ron Paul the only one to say how and what we need to do. More q?s for Ron Paul plz. 2 q/s is not enough. Byist?? Ithink so,,,

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

Alisa

Wish you would give them ALL fair time!!! How can we make an informed opionion if you don't ack ALL the candidates questions!! QUIT acting like Herman Cain is not a candidate!!!!!! QUIT trying to interrupt him!!!!

June 13, 2011 08:39 pm at 8:39 pm |

Don

Since all candidates here want to repeal the healthcare reform act. Please ask them how they will tell my son that he can no longer have health insurance due to his pre-existing condition. Thanks